Fortunately for Bowen Island music lovers, Juno-nominated and Grammy-award winning mandolinist John Reischman loves to bring his band The Jaybirds to play Tir-na-nOg Theatre. Lucky us! Considered to be the premier player of his generation, surrounded by equally gifted musicians, this is their third visit to Bowen Island.
John got his start as an original member of the Tony Rice Unit in the late 1970s. With the band, Reischman helped define the “new acoustic music” movement in bluegrass thanks to their high profile albums on Rounder Records.
Living in the San Francisco Bay Area in the ’80s, Reischman toured and performed with seminal bluegrass band The Good Ol’ Persons, cementing his reputation with an original vision for the mandolin. He moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in the 1990s and formed The Jaybirds.
All members of the Jaybirds are solo recording artists as well. Bassist and singer Trisha Gagnon is portrayed by Sing Out! as “one of the most versatile” and “irresistible” lead vocalists in bluegrass. Known as a songwriter as well, her solo album includes guests Vince Gill and Peter Rowan.
On the five-string banjo, Nick Hornbuckle has developed his own voice – a two-finger roll unlike other contemporary banjo players. His solo album 12×2 (+/-1), was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2015.
Spokane-based Greg Spatz is hailed as a “world-class bluegrass fiddler” by Fiddler Magazine and is also an award-winning novelist. Audiophile Audition says Greg’s “virtuosic playing is flawlessy delivered time after time.”
It’s no wonder Bowen’s sizeable group of bluegrass enthusiasts is always thrilled to hear of the return of John Reischman and the Jaybirds.
As usual, tickets are available at Phoenix Books and online at trustme.brownpapertickets.com
